


Gunners vs. Grenades

by ReleasingTheKrakenIsMyFetish



Series: Ree [20]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Campfires, Conversations, Developing Friendships, F/M, Getting to Know Each Other, Grenades, Gun Violence, Gunshot Wounds, Long Shot, Romance, Shooting Guns, Talking, maybe something else
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-30 07:16:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12648768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReleasingTheKrakenIsMyFetish/pseuds/ReleasingTheKrakenIsMyFetish
Summary: Ree, Hancock and Valentine deal with the gunners, but how does it go down? 2nd Long shot of Ree & Hancock.





	Gunners vs. Grenades

I tried to keep my head down as plasma projectiles shot over and hit the walls of the underpass. I was leaning my back against a rusty van and Hancock was next to me, shooting at the gunners and swearing. Nick had taken cover behind another car just few feet from us, blasting away with his pipe revolver pistol.

As soon as the shooting started Hancock shoved me here, which might've been wise as my hand got tangled inside the hoodie when I had tried to pull the gun out. Now, when I finally got it in my hands, I tried to be as useful as I could. I really wanted my rifle rather than the 10mm pistol, but I had dropped it on the ground with my backpack when Hancock had shielded me from the opening fire, so it was out from my reach for now.

I slid myself towards the back of the car and took a careful peek. From my angle I saw someone's shoulder and arm, so I took the shot. I missed the first time, but on the second try I heard a woman shouting with pain. I had hit her right on her shoulder, so she would at least have trouble handling her gun.

Within the next few minutes either Nick or Hancock managed to kill the bulky guy. The bearded gunner was cursing us and firing projectiles with stunning speed. If even one of those hit us, it would no doubt be deadly.

Suddenly Hancock turned to me and shouted something, but it was impossible for me to hear him under the ruckus mixed with heavy rain falling.

”What?” I exclaimed, and he pushed my head down.

”Stay down!” He roared and dropped his gun in order to search something under his jacket.

When he pulled his hand back I saw him holding a grenade.

”Fuck”, I didn't know how else to crystallise my thoughts. But he was right. There were three of us versus two of them, but one of them seemed like a man who needed an army to get him go down. Well, we didn't have an army to back us up, but maybe that would work just as fine.

It all happened in a blink of an eye. As soon as there was a nano second pause between the projectiles, Hancock got up and threw the grenade. Nick too saw that, and hurried to cover himself. Hancock dropped down and threw his arm over me.

The sound of the explosion rammed itself inside my ears, even though I had slapped my hands to cover them. After that, it became so quiet I sincerely thought I'd gone deaf, but the absolute silence didn't last long. After few seconds I started hearing the rain again, but no plasma projectiles hitting the walls or cars. Not a single gunshot was fired.

I opened my eyes and looked up, but Hancock kept my head down and straightened himself a bit. When still nothing happened, he grabbed his gun and carefully stood up, as did Nick.

”He's dead”, Nick said after a long pause. ”There.”

I straightened myself and following his gaze I started to make out bloody bits here and there.

”Ugh”, I quickly turned my head away.

”Damn, those were some nasty ones”, Hancock took a deep breath and started cautiously walking further into the underpass.

Nick and I followed, and I finally got to grab my backpack and also my rifle, which was attached to it. After passing more wrecked cars we reached the bodies. There was hardly anything left of the bearded guy. The bulky man's body was in an unnatural pose next to the wall, probably because of the explosion.

I looked around and noticed something unnerving.

”Guys, there's one missing”, I took a better hold of the pistol, but too late.

She was lying on her back, half hidden behind a pick-up truck's tires. She had been badly hurt, but still she managed to hold a small pistol. For sheer rage and, maybe because she knew she was a goner, she started blindly shooting at us.

One of the bullets didn't miss. From the corner of my eye I saw Hancock staggering back and my heart went cold.

”John!” I screamed and turned to him.

If it wasn't for Nick, I probably would've died there – how absolutely stupid of me. But every bit of attention I had right then was all directed to a man, who dropped on one knee. As I ran to him, Nick succeeded killing the last gunner.

I was kneeling next to Hancock, who was squeezing his left shoulder. Blood flowed between his fingers and he was growling curses with clenched teeth.

”John”, Nick hurried to us and examined Hancock's injury. He clearly knew what he was doing, so I tried to give him space and at the same time to stay as close to Hancock as possible.

”It went right through. Ree, you got anything we can tie it up and stop the bleeding? I got two Stimpaks, but we might need more.” Nick started to help Hancock take off his jacket and pulling down the collar of the shirt.

I rummaged my backpack and found clean-ish bandages, which I gave to Nick. As Nick was working on the wound, I injected Hancock with a Stimpak. I was still in shock, but luckily my hands started really trembling after the injection.

Hancock grunted with pain, but turned his head to look at me. When he saw my face, he made an attempt to smile.

”Chin up, Sunshine. This ain't my first rodeo.”

”What else can I do?” I asked with a muffled voice.

Hancock looked down and grimaced.

”I'd appreciate a lil' help from a Jet fairy. It's in my pocket.”

I found the Jet and he gladly took a hit from it with my assistance. At the same time the tears started rolling down and over my cheek. I didn't really cry, but the fat tears still continued flowing. Hancock sighed and grabbed my hand with his healthy one.

”Ree, it's okay. It's over and we're all alive. Don't cry.”

”I'm not”, I vigorously wiped my face on my sleeve. ”I just got so scared.”

Nick was done with the bandages, so he helped Hancock to get up.

”Let's get you propped against the wall. There's the gunners' campsite, so there might be something else we can use, too”, Nick nodded to the direction and we both Supported Hancock as he was on his way to a good high.

”That's more like it”, he grinned after we got him settled. ”Almost forgot how much it fuckin' hurts to get shot. Means that I've been away from the road far too long.”

”Is he gonna be okay?” I turned to Nick, who nodded and lit two cigarettes, of which he handed one to Hancock.

”He'll be fine. If he gets another Stimpak and few hours rest, he should be good to go by morning. But I have to say, you haven't changed a bit. Always a real' blast traveling with ya, John”, Nick sneered and Hancock just smiled as the Jet really started to work its magic.

I looked around. It was obvious that the gunners had just arrived here before us – they had built a new campfire, but it hadn't been used even once. There were dirty sleeping bags on the ground, some shattered bottles and a bag, which with a closer look contained mainly ammo, but also some food supplies.

Nick went back to drag the corpses out so that they wouldn't attract any animals or ferals on us, and I was left with Hancock who started to shiver.

”You're cold”, I stated somewhat obviously, and got the fire started. Luckily the wood was pretty dry, so fairly soon the campfire was spreading the warmth around us.

I sat next to Hancock and stared at the fire.

”Where did you get that grenade?”

”Bought it from Diamond City”, Hancock sounded drowsy.

”It probably saved us”, I said more to myself than to him. ”Does it hurt?”

”Yeah, but Stimpak and Jet helps. Where's Nick?”

”He'll be back soon. Just cleaning up the bodies.”

”Good. I think I'm falling asleep.”

I turned to look at Hancock, who had closed his eyes. Maybe it was the Jet that made him sleepy, or the effect of Stimpak. Even though it was a wonderful med, it still took a toll on your body to heal up so quickly.

”I wish I could be more... brave”, I leaned my head on his healthy shoulder. ”I still feel like I'm dead weight, even if I can now use guns. I feel like you're always the one protecting me.”

Hancock didn't answer. When I looked up, I saw that his head had nodded forward and he was asleep.

”You're not dead weight”, I heard Nick saying as he walked to us behind a van and nearly made me jump.

”Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya. Just overheard what you said”, Nick sat down on one of the sleeping bags after taking off his wet coat and hanging it to dry from a broken side mirror of the van.

”But I don't think you're dead weight. I heard what happened with you two back when you were out searching your friend. John wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you”, Nick's gentle voice said as I stared at the fire.

”That was... I just did what I had to”, I muttered.

”And that's what brave people do”, Nick smiled at me from the other side of the fireplace and I found myself blushing from delight. It meant a lot to me to hear him saying that.

”You remind me of someone I used to know back before the war. Or rather, of whom the real Nick knew when he was alive. She was brave, beautiful and determined to always do the right thing.”

”Who was she?”

Nick's smile got a hint of sadness in it.

”Her name was Jennifer. Of course, she's gone, now.”

I wanted to know more, but something in Nick's voice held me back.

”You really love him, don't you?”

Smiling, I glanced at Hancock who had started to snore softly. His tricorne was hanging so low, that soon it would cover his eyes.

”Yes.”

Nick watched at us and lit a new cigarette. His face glowed red or yellow, depending if he held the cigarette in his mouth or not. I realized that the day had gone dark and the rain had softened, but was still continuing.

”He's a lucky guy”, Nick nodded and threw some more wood into the fire.

”What about Ellie? Aren't you two... together?”

For the first time Nick looked surprised.

”Ellie? Oh, no. Ellie's just my assistant. A heck of a good friend, too. But no. We're not a couple, if that was what you were asking. In case you haven't noticed, I'm an old synth”, Nick found his signature smile again.

”What? Does that mean you can't fall in love?” I was genuinely interested.

”Well, no... I do have feelings. I do ”remember” what it was like to love. Jennifer was Nicks' fiancée, and Nick loved her more than life itself.”

The sadness was back in Nick's voice and I hurried to keep the subject moving forward.

”So, if you have feelings, then what's stopping you? You're an amazing guy. You're kind, you want to help people, you're righteous... You even have your own business”, I tried to throw in a joke. ”What woman wouldn't find that intriguing?”

Nick chuckled and a cloud of smoke followed his composed laughter.

”Thank you, Ree. I can see why John fell for you. You don't consider us only as ghouls or synths, but as normal people. Can't say I get that a lot.”

Hancock grunted in his sleep and tried to scratch his bandaged arm. If it was already itching, it meant that the Stimpak was working.

”John, don't”, I gently took his hand in mine. ”I'll give you another Stimpak. Hold on.”

He didn't even wake up when I gave him another injection. Just murmured something inaudible.

”Ya know, you've adjusted remarkably well in this new life”, Nick continued chatting after I tossed the empty Stimpak in my bag. ”Not many would've survived the change. As someone who knows how the world used to be back then... You don't need to feel inferior. Not everyone born even this century can survive here.”

”I had help”, I smiled and opened a pack of crackers. Now, when the danger and shock were over, I was hungry as a horse. ”Holly and Hancock both made me train almost every day.”

”I'm not talking about physical adjusting alone. I can very much imagine how it must've felt, waking up in a vault and seeing the world as it is now.”

The crackers had gone stale. I still ate them, because it would be a waste not to.

”Well, of course I admit it was a shock. But somehow... I feel like now I'm more at home than I was before, you know? After everything that happened in my past, shooting the burglar, mom dying in a car crash, my dad leaving... It all made me believe I couldn't ever live a happy life. That everything that would happen had happened already, and I was just waiting for it to be all over. But now... I can't wait to see what happens next. It's terrifying, but at least now I feel like I'm really living my own life”, I tried to sum up my thoughts.

”I'm sorry, I'm rambling”, I smiled apologetically. ”You're easy to talk to.”

”I don't mind”, Nick flashed a smile and flicked his cigarette into the fire. ”But it's getting late. You should try sleeping, I'll keep watch.”

”Don't you need to sleep?”

”No. Though I miss how it felt”, Nick stood up and lit again another cigarette.

”What about those? You don't really need them, do you?”

Nick grinned and looked half amused, half guilty.

”And old habit of the real Nick. Get some rest, I'll wake you up if something happens.”

”Okay. Thank you.” I nestled myself carefully against Hancock and closed my eyes.

The crackling of the fire and gentle drumming of the rain together lulled me and made me sleepy. I knew that the feeling of safety wasn't to be trusted, but when was it, really? Nick hummed silently some relaxed tune, and while listening that I doze off.

 


End file.
